HORIZON 2020: FINANCIAL ISSUES
Match-making Meeting
in the
Institute for Foreign Affairs & Trade
18 December 2014
Budapest
DR. BÉLA KARDON
Chief Scientific Officer
HUNGARY
Horizon 2020
The EU Framework
Programme for Research and Innovation
I. Simplification and Coherence
Main Principles
•A single set of rules
•A single funding rate
•A single indirect cost model
•Further simplification efforts
A single funding rate
FP7
Maximum
reimburseme
nt rates
Research and
technological
development
activities (*)
Network of
excellence
50%
75% (**)
Collaborative
project(****)
50%
75% (**)
Coordination
and support
action
Demonstrati
on activities
Other
activities
100%
50%
100%
100% (***)
(*) Research and technological development includes scientific coordination.
(**) For beneficiaries that are non-profit public bodies, secondary and higher
education establishments, research organisations and SMEs
(***) The reimbursement of indirect eligible costs, in the case of coordination and
support actions, may reach a maximum 7% of the direct eligible costs, excluding the
direct eligible costs for subcontracting
(****) Including research for the benefit of specific groups (in particular SMEs)
A single funding rate
One project = One rate
 For all beneficiaries and all activities in the grant.
 Defined in the Work Programme:
‒ Up to 100 % of the eligible costs;
‒ but limited to a maximum of 70 % for innovation projects
(exception for non-profit organisations - maximum of
100%)
‒ Specific reimbursement rates for programme co-fund
actions
Personnel costs
Wider acceptance of average personnel costs (now under unit costs)
Broadening the basic conditions for acceptance of average personnel
cost accounting practices.
Acceptance of supplementary payments for non-profit
organisations of up to 8000 Euro/year/person
Simplifying participation for SMEs
Providing in the Rules for a unit cost system for SME owners and
physical persons without a salary.
…and more in the Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement
The Grant Agreement will add further elements of simplification
regarding personnel costs like simplified provisions on productive
hours and clear minimum rules on time-recording.
Single indirect cost model
20% ?
60% ?
FP7
Real ?
Single model:
25 % Flat Rate
Simplified?
Unique method - aiming at simplifying project
management and reducing recurrent errors
New funding model:
what impact on the EU contribution?
An example:
FP7
Majority of
HES & RTOs
Direct
costs
Indirect
costs
Total
costs
Flat-rate (60%)
100
60
160
100/25 Funding
Direct
costs
Indirect
costs
Total
costs
100
25
125
% EU
EU
contribution contribution
75%
€ 120
% EU
EU
contribution contribution
100%
€ 125
Controls and Audits
Financial viability
 Restricted to coordinators for projects ≥ €500 k€
Audit certificates
 Only for final payments/per beneficiary /for actual
costs ≥ €325 000 €
 Optional Certificates on average personnel costs
 Provisions in Horizon 2020 Regulations!
Ex-post audits
 Commission's audits up to two years after
payment of the balance
 Audit strategy focused on risk and fraud prevention
Guarantee Fund
 Continuity with FP7
Forms of funding (1)
What is continued?
◦ Use of Grant Agreements
◦ Actual costs
Forms of funding (2)
What is new?
Specific provisions targeting innovation:
• pre-commercial procurement
• procurement of innovative solutions
• inducement prizes
Financial instruments:
• a debt financial instrument,
• a financial instrument providing equity finance for R&I, etc.
Possibility of output-based grants (lump-sums per project)
Enhanced use of other lump-sums, flat rates and unit costs
Types of Actions – Research/Innovation (1)
Research and Innovation Actions – NO RfP definition but
description in the WP annexes
They are actions with Research and Development activities as the core of
the project intending to establish new scientific and technical knowledge
and/or explore the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product,
process, service or solution
- may include basic and applied research, technology development and
integration, testing and validation on a small-scale prototype in a
laboratory or simulated environment
- may contain closely connected but limited demonstration or pilot
activities aiming to show technical feasibility in a near to operational
environment
• 100% funding rate
Types of Actions – Research/Innovation (2)
"Pure" Innovation Actions – RfP definition
"'Innovation action' means an action primarily consisting of activities
directly aiming at producing plans and arrangements or designs for
new, altered or improved products, processes or services. For this
purpose they may include prototyping, testing, demonstrating, piloting,
large-scale product validation and market replication„
• 70% funding rate (100% for non-profit legal entities)
Types of Actions – Research/Innovation (3)
Overlaps
'prototyping', 'testing', 'demonstrating' and 'piloting' not
specific to innovation activities; they are also used to describe
research and development activities (100% funding)
• In the case of a Research and Innovation action, these
activities are undertaken on a small scale prototype, in a
laboratory or simulated environment
• Innovation projects may include limited research and
development activities.
• Type of project expected, funding and Technology
Readiness Level scale indicated in the WP topics
Types of Actions – Coordination and Support
Coordination and Support Action
Actions consisting primarily of accompanying measures such as
standardisation,
dissemination,
awareness-raising
and
communication, networking, coordination or support services,
policy dialogues and mutual learning exercises and studies,
including design studies for new infrastructure and may also
include
complementary
activities
of
strategic
planning,
networking and coordination between programmes in different
countries.
• Substantially similar to FP7
THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION
E-MAIL:
b ka rd o n @ rc i s d . e u